The orb of light
by Dark-flames
Summary: Hermione watched the books, it seemed hopeless... Until Ron's ashen face told her a story she could never have imagined. harry walked out to dinner, only to find a girl that needed soothing. Ginny wondered weather life was just bad or if there were light
1. Default Chapter

There was a shimmering light in the fire, catching the young man's attention. The light grew bigger until a silver shine was clearly visible.

The old man stood from his resting chair and walked carefully over, kneeling before the flames.

'In all my days, I thought I would never meet you.'

The silver light shone brighter and the man reached inside the fire to touch it. A smile lit his face as his fingers slid through the light, and then a small pop was heard as the man and the light disappeared into thin air.

There was a small shimmering ball left on the floor of the small room in the place of the old man, but that was all that was ever known to have been found. Or so the muggle's thought.

'I need some more time, just give me five minutes then I'll come to dinner with you.' Hermione said annoyed to her friends.

'Five minutes, Hermione you have been here for hours.' Ron whined, but Harry put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

The two boys sat down by a table and looked at Hermione, kneeling before a book and muttering under her breath.

'What's that about?' Harry asked causally.

'The orb of light. Professor Vector assigned us to do a project on a wizard who mysteriously disappeared fifty years ago in his home. The only thing found in his home after was the orb of light.' Hermione looked up at Harry with expectation.

'I've heard of that.' He said trying to sound knowing.' I think.' He added as an afterthought.

'You have? That's amazing because I can't find anything on it in these books. There are only vivid descriptions on what it looked like, but nothing on how it could have affected the old man's disappearance.' She said annoyed with herself.

'Who was the bloke?' Ron asked, mildly interested.

'Rudolph Benjamin Hector.' She answered him, putting a book back and pulling a new heavier one out in its place.

Ron's mouth hung open as he stared at her.

'Ron seems to know something about him, why don't you try asking him Hermione?' Harry said with a mild enthusiasm, not really expecting Hermione to hear him.

The girl looked up at his words nevertheless and saw Ron's face.

'So you do know something.' She stated.

Ron sat up straight and rolled his eyes.

'I know that if you're planning on investigating him you won't be coming to dinner in five minutes and I'm hungry.' He said and put his bag over his shoulder.

'Ron I know he doesn't exactly carry a good reputation.' She began.

'Hermione he's a fraud. No one knows what happened to him, that's the way he would have wanted it I'm sure. He was a magician, who lived his life performing simple magical tricks for the amusement of muggles.' Ron was getting heated, while Harry sat in his chair looking back and forth between his two friends.

'He knew more spells and ancient magic then most people, and he carried a potions supply in his home greater then professor Snape's. He was as much a worthy wizard as any, in fact Dumbledore told me where to look for him and promised me a note for getting into the restricted section to research later.' Hermione got to her feet and the thick book she had been reading lay forgotten on the floor beside her.

'Who was he?' Harry said not sure if it was a good idea to interrupt Ron and Hermione's steadily rising voices.

He had certainly held a point when that thought went through his mind because the two in front of him glared openly at him.

'Forget I said that.' He said and took his bag, starting to leave.

'Harry, wait.' He heard Hermione saying, but he had already reached the end of the row of shelves and wasn't planning on turning back, so he waved a hand at the two left behind and walked out of the library.

'Draco do you ever think of the future?' Ginny asked looking up from her parchment.

'Yes and no. Why do you ask?' Draco replied writing on the transfiguration essay.

'What will happened once you have graduated Hogwarts, will they take you away to the war? Will the dark lord still be out there? Will you remember me?' she said and looked away.

Draco looked up from his writings, some blond hair being left in front of his one eye.

'Do you really think I could just take off and forget you?' He said dropping his quill onto the table and standing.

Ginny turned back tears running freely.

'It's so cold out there, and it scares me. Thinking about that I might have to be here alone without you. I can't even tell my brothers about you. When I was in Hogsmead Fred asked me why I was out alone. I wanted so much to tell him I wasn't but I lied and said that Hermione was waiting for me at the book shop down the road.' Ginny whispered.

'Then tell them. I don't really care anymore. Father can't do anything about it and Dumbledore is here.' He said, walking over to standing in front of her.

'I know it's not fair of me to ask you things like that, but I can't help feeling so alone. I want you to sit beside me at the family dinners. Hermione and Harry are always with us during the festivities, and I want you to be there too. They would understand. I know they would.' She finished desperately.

Draco looked out through the little window. The heavy snowfall was a reminder of the Christmas holidays. He turned back and lifted the crying girl up to her feet and pulled her into a embrace.

It wasn't like him. He wasn't like that. He had never cared for anyone. He was Draco bloody Malfoy, he didn't hold crying girls. He made a bad comment and made them cry harder.

Shaking his head he allowed the girl in his arms to sob freely, and wondered for not the first time the last few months what would happened in the future. In a year or more…

Harry walked quickly down the passage to the Great Hall, and was busy looking at the floor when he heard his name being called. First he thought Hermione or Ron had followed him, but when a slender hand gripped his he realised it wasn't who he had presumed.

'You shouldn't be running away like that. You look troubled, care to tell?' a girl said.

Her blond hair and pale skin reminded him of Malfoy, the other one. She was looking up at him intently.

'I don't feel like talking right now. I had a bad day. I just want to get some dinner and some sleep.' He said knowing he wouldn't get rid of her so easily.

'If you wanted to be alone so badly why didn't you tell me so? I have to go talk to my brother anyways.' She said looking down and pulling her hand back.

'Wait.' He said turning around and opening his hands in a defeating gesture.

'No you're right I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.' She said letting her hands mimic his gesture, purposely or not Harry didn't know.

'It's all right. Care to join me for dinner?' he asked motioning at the doors to the great hall.

She stopped and looked at him for while.

'The best plan so far.' She said but not enthusiastically.

'Dana, you can talk to me anytime, it's just that lately has been troublesome. And you're still a Malfoy I can't get past that easily.' He said.

'I know. I appreciate you trusting me at all, in your position I probably wouldn't. she said. 'Draco is a good guy.' She said defensively.

The two of them walked into the great hall, Harry sitting down at the Gryffindor table and Dana heading for the Slytherin.

'Take care.' She said before moving over to her usual spot beside a girl in her own year.

Hermione turned back to look at a red eared Ron.

'Why didn't you stop him?' she asked threateningly.

'Me? What about you?' he replied. 'Harry is Harry, let him be.'

'No I don't want to fight with either of you.' Hermione replied looking at the book on the floor.

'You don't seem to mind it too much.' Ron said and turned as if to leave as well.

'How dare you Ronald Weasley?' Hermione asked, and bent to pick up the book.

She placed it back where she had reached for it and grabbed her bag from the chair beside where Ron was standing.

'Where are you going?' he asked her.

'Somewhere I can study.' She said.

'You haven't' had any dinner, at least come down and have something to eat first.' He tried.

'I should go talk to Ginny, I promised to help her with her Muggle studies.' Hermione said.

'She takes muggle studies?' Ron asked.

'No.' Hermione replied. 'She just wants to know how the muggle world works.'

'Have you decided what you're going to do over Christmas yet?' he said tentatively.

'Don't pressure me, please Ron. You know how much being with you and Harry means to me, but I haven't seen my family for a long time. They are practically demanding me come home.' She said looking at her feet.

'Then go home, Harry and I will come with you.' He said.

She looked up at him a smile spreading.

'You wouldn't if you got paid. I live in a purely muggle community, with nothing magical surrounding the place.' She said.

'Harry gets by doesn't he?' Ron said innocently.

'Shouldn't we ask him first. And possibly your family. Ron I know you mean well but your family needs you as much as mine needs me.' She didn't want him to do something foolish for her sake.

'I'll be back after Christmas. ' she said.' Now let's go down to dinner I'm sure Harry is feeling lonely.' Hermione finished and picked Ron's potions book from the table they had been using.

'You might need this tomorrow.' She smiled as she said this thinking of their last potions class.

'Wouldn't want to miss that for the world, would I.' Ron sarcastically added. 'Dinner then.'

Draco and Ginny had decided to head down for dinner. They made company until the hall by the library where they parted.

There was always the fright that someone might find them. That they would have to come with insults to cover it up, but they weren't really sure if that would work.

'I'll see you in the hall, you should go leave your books first.' Draco said.

'I know, you should too. Dumbledore said he was going to announce one last Hogsmead trip before Christmas holidays.' Ginny said enthusiastically.

'I suppose that might be a good choice.' Draco said, only mildly interested, but rather watching her red locks portraying her face.

'Are you going home?' he asked.

'Yes. Ron is too, and I think Harry is coming with us.' Ginny answered.

'Not Granger?' Draco said surprised.

'No, her family wants her home. I guess they have a fair point, they never see her otherwise do they?' she explained.

'They're all muggle?' Draco asked.

'Yes, all they know about the magical world they know through Hermione.'

'Assuming she's clever she has told them about Voldemort hasn't she?' Draco.

Ginny shivered noticeable at the dark lord's name.

'Don't say that. Please, I hear it often enough from them.' Ginny said referring to the three Gryffindors that included her brother and his best friends.

'Why are you afraid to say it? He can't hurt you for that. He presumably won't hurt you at all.' Draco said.

'Why would you say such a thing?' Ginny asked looking up confused.

'Pureblood. Weasley? He wouldn't want to kill you off in the first place. He's much cruller then that.' Draco said. ' I won't let anything happened to you.' He added quickly.

'Are you going home a well?' she asked not sure of the answer.

Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, had been sent to wizarding prison in the end last spring. Now Draco was in his sixth year and had been joined at the school by his younger sister, Dana Malfoy, who had befriended Ginny since they where in the same year.

The little Weasley girl had come into a fight with the well known Slytherin prince, and almost won, but the two had settled for a truce.

'Yes mother wants me there.' He answered.

Since then they had begun talking, and getting to know each other. Draco never usually opened up but the girl knew more about him then any other. And he felt confident that he knew more about her then most could imagine.

He had kissed her once.

Draco Malfoy was a cold hearted arse and he knew it.

But that didn't stop him from loving her, or her from loving him.

'I have to go, Ron and Hermione are up there.' Ginny whispered suddenly.

Draco's head shot up and he saw Granger and the older Weasley on the top of a flight of stairs presumably having left the library.

'Go, you can still catch them.' Draco said, before shouting. ' Go on running Weasel.' As Hermione looked down.

'You be nice or I'll have to call a teacher again ferret.' She said smugly, before turning and heading for the two on the landing.

'Did he hurt you?' Ron's voice was the first thing she heard.

She didn't feel like having this conversation just then, and turned back down to look at the white haired Slytherin devil he was supposed to be. He met her eyes and after being reassured she would be fine he turned and left.

'No.' she said to Ron. ' He couldn't. Ever.' She followed Hermione's lead towards Gryffindor tower.

Harry had been expecting Hermione or at least Ron to show up before he was finished.

But they hadn't, and so he stood up and decided to go up to Gryffindor tower and finish his Transfiguration essay. He couldn't believe he was about to have forgotten about that.

Hurriedly he walked out of the hall and up the staircases, but before he reached the first landing he bumped into someone.

'Watch it Potter.' A cold voice was heard.

'Careful Drakie, the dark lords coming.' Harry returned.

'Watch what you wish for Potter.' The hard voice of Malfoy continued.

'Not really no… I don't mind him and me having a little chat face to face sometime soon. Why don't you tell him that?' Harry raised an eyebrow.

'So you still haven't figured it out. And I always took you for the smart one.' He finished.

'No, actually that's Hermione. Or as you know her, Granger the muggle born. Out smarted you in the OWLs didn't she?' Harry mocked.

'No, I meant you as the smart one. Hermione is the clever and wise one, the logic behind the trio. But not the smart one. And Ron, he's brave and good hearted…' Draco was saying it like he meant it but adding gestures of sarcasm to it.

Harry shrugged, not in the mood for a heated argument with the Slytherin.

'Your sister is alone down there, you should go keep her company.' He finished off, and turned as if to keep walking back towards the Gryffindor tower.

Draco nodded.

'She's worse than me, she'll be fine by herself.' He finished lamely…


	2. Chapter two: Reaching conclusions

Disclaimer: Don't owe them any more than last chapter.. But still the plot is mine, and I can always dream.. no wait, erase that... Anyways, no money involved here. just pure.. fun!

A/N: Thank you to all reviewers! You made my heart all warm and fuzzy and emotional.. Okay, I'll try not to sound like a phsyco.. But since your reactions to the story were positive I hope you can bare with me! I apologize sincerely for only getting up like a few pages of chapter two, but I had a serious writers block this week. Still I felt that you guys deserved at least something so chapter two will be abnormally short and I'll have chappy three up by monday which will be stunningly long.. sound good? Enjoy, and keep reviewing. You guys are my inspiration number one... Oh and I'll try to reply to all of you!

**Chapter two : **

She looked out the window of Gryffindor tower, just able to make out the shapes of the quidditch players hovering above the grounds. Two of those where Harry and Ron, she thought…

It was quiet and almost empty in the common room. Most students were still enjoying their dinner, or upstairs in their dormitories discussing Dumbledore's announcements. It hadn't been that overwhelming. It was a report of the outside world to prepare them for going home over the Christmas holidays.

Ron had actually glanced at her quite a few times with a bit of a worried look on his face.

She thought about the exact words their headmaster had used.

'_There will be a time for angry words, for fighting, for mourning and for thinking… But today all we can and must do is stand united. Build a front of hope, of knowledge and of the un touchable strength of good and love…'_

The train was leaving on Friday after classes were through. Tomorrow was Wednesday, much was still to happened, she mused…

Moving over to the somewhat secluded set of plush arm chairs by the fire she saw something that hadn't been there when she left for classes in the morning. It was red, with a golden chord tied around it.

The book was old, presumably even antique, but the note resting on top of it seemed new, and she immediately recognized Ron's scrawling writing…

_Hermione_

_Thought you might find it interesting…_

_Ron W._

It was short, and apparently written in haste. Probably just before he had left for quidditch. She smiled slightly, and put the note away on the arm rest, sitting down and placing the heavy book in her lap.

Ginny felt the wind in her face as she sped through the snow towards the ground… It was called quit for the day, and she felt exhausted. Her clothing was soaked, her hair seemed to have frozen from the snowfall and her fingers where shaking out of the tight grip she had kept on her broom the whole practice.

She watched Harry and Ron start chattering about something a few paces away and considered joining them. Shaking her head she moved towards the dressing rooms and shook her head in order to regain some warmth to it and start up her mental functioning again.

The whole practice had not been a waste, at least she considered it a pleasure to be able to ride around over the Hogwarts grounds only days before taking leave to go home.

Then she remembered Dumbledore's words. They had been cautious in order to avoid frustration and panic among the students, but there was a clear warning embedded within them.

She had tried to not give a public reaction. After all she was very aware of the orders existence and the absolute acute threat of the dark lord. But she never thought their headmaster would give an official speech days before the train left for London.

Harry and Ron had shrugged, made a few whispering comments to one another, nodded to Hermione and then been done it seemed. Hermione hadn't really stopped eating during the announcement, and kept her eyes focused on the plate. Ginny wondered what had happened to the world.

When a teacher spoke Hermione would be a living tape recorder, sitting straight up with her whole being focusing on what was being said. Harry would quietly accept what was being told, brood about it, and then look up with his mind clearly made up as to what he thought about it. Ron, finally, would ask questions, look disapproving or stay quiet with a worried sideway glance at his best friend.

She shrugged… Again.

'Ginny, are you coming?' she heard Harry's voice from the door to the changing rooms.

'Sure, juts hang on a minute.' She replied stifling a yawn. Much too late for such thoughts…

Last year had been a good year. She'd gotten over her crush on Harry completely… Well she supposed there would always be a slight special feeling with him around because he was older and her brother's best friend, but no more shunning away with cheeks blushing a stunning red… The DA had proved successful when their capabilities had been trialed.

Although she had wished it had been under different circumstances. She remembered Hermione telling her about the older girls doubts regarding Sirius. From what she knew, and Ginny was aware this was more than the younger girl would ever find out, about the situation Sirius was feeling incomplete. After the years in Azcaban serving off a sentence that would last a life time, accused of handing his best friends to the mercy of the dark lord and murdering a wizard on a street filled with muggles, he must have felt in complete. He must have felt the pressure, mostly from himself, to succeed in aiding the order in doing good…

Hermione's thoughts where tat somewhere along this line of making up for other peoples thoughts on him, he had lost his logical mind. Just sitting locked up in a dark empty house, with only Buckbeak and a crazed house elf to keep him company he must have found his mind lingering on ideas such as going out there, maybe as an animagus maybe not, and doing what he thought he could…

Ginny shook her mind. They had kept a simple ceremony in his memory on Harry's request in the late summer. She looked up to see the boy who once again lived watching her questioningly.

'Coming.' She said giving him a smile.

He smiled back, and motioned at Ron a few paces away having a go at the little third year boy who had successfully tried out for chaser.

'Ron, leave the poor boy alone.' She scolded to the amusement of the boys..

During the walk back up to the castle Ginny tuned out Ron's constant chattering and Harry's murmuring replied. Watching only the path ahead of her she let her mind keep flying.

So naturally, Draco's head popped up in her brain causing her to give a loud sigh of annoyance.

'What?' Ron asked confused.

'Sorry, nothing… Go on you two with whatever it was you were talking about.' She excused herself.

Well, Draco's head seemed to remain where it had positioned itself. Actually his whole body seemed to have appeared, flopped down in a sofa looking up at her with those pale blue eyes and silk white hair…

No, mustn't think that now… She mentally slapped herself for letting it get that far. She hadn't actually made clear her feelings, since she wasn't even close to understanding them herself, for him. But she would never forget that one day when he had kissed her.

Although they had both pulled back suddenly, astounded by what had just happened, and although neither ever mentioned it afterwards, she knew it was there. And for not the first time in her young life she desperately wanted some female support, not just her brothers mockings…

Dana was reading. It was a small book, barely a hundred pages long, but nevertheless a very interesting such. Her pale fingers moved slowly up to the corner and turned the page eyes beginning to follow the pattern of words.

'Hello dear sister.' She heard the curt voice of her older brother and smiled into the book…

'Draco.' She acknowledged.

'I thought you were more of the writing kind.' He replied, sitting down opposite her in a dark green chair.

'I am… Or at least I want to think so, but the pen most find inspiration to dance in my hand, is that not so?' she asked, looking up at him eyebrow raised and a smile still playing on her lips.

'You really are astoundingly complicated to figure out. You sit here, in the midst of the Slytherin common room, surrounded by people no different from those you write hard words about, talking like a wise old lady would and still you manage to mock me?' he laughed slightly at their little game.

She was amused at the way he changed when they where around people with expectations of him. He never remained himself. She wasn't even certain she had met the real Draco Malfoy.

When they where growing up he would sit long hours of the days and nights on his room, reading through the books he searched out in their grand library. One of the good things with being a Malfoy was the access you gained to books, history, even the dark arts…

'No more complicated than you appear to that poor girl you spend so much time with.' She retorted, looking at him questioningly.

'Maybe…' he nodded.

'Maybe.' She agreed.

That was the hardest part to understand for an outsider of their relation. They actually did care about others than themselves. They for one cared about each other. Growing up the way they had thought them there were paths to choose, and you could only walk one at a time. So you better choose carefully or you would be living as a shadow of yourself.

'Do you believe in miracles?' she asked just as he was about to stand up.

He sat back down watching her book more than her.

'I believe miracles happened, but not to people like us.' He said sadly, adding. 'Even if he cares for you the world around would not. He's just a mortal after all.' Draco sighed, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

'Good night Draco.' She said quietly.

He nodded, disappearing away into the boys dormitories.

She sighed, her mind fluttering away, as she raised the book once more in an attempt to concentrate on the pages.

'He never cared about what the world though, did he.' She whispered, mostly to console herself.

Harry watched Ron trying to calmly collect the inkbottles that had dropped to the floor, luckily not breaking because of the soft carpet installed.

'What!' Ron asked looking up with a frustrated face and ears turning a bright shade of red.

'Nothing.' Harry coughed slightly stifling a laugh.

'Why would I need all of these? Why? But, she didn't listen to me now did she?' the red haired boy muttered.

'So I take it you and Hermione have made up by now?' Harry asked curiously, laying down on his bed.

'You don't make up with Hermione, you donate to SPEW or tell her to bugger off. That's the two options you've got.' He shook his head vigorously. 'Barking mad I tell you' he added under his breath.

'So she's still staying with her family?' Harry clarified, amused by the scene being played out in front of him.

Ron nodded.

'You know, she's right. There's really nothing wrong with them wanting to see their daughter for Christmas. It's not like they spend much time together except for the summers and that's not a whole lot for a family like hers.' Harry tried making Ron feel a bit better about the situation.

'I didn't say it was wrong.' He looked up at Harry with a grim face.

'No… You can't ask her to stay with us at the headquarters when there's the possibility of war when we return. Even Dumbledore is worried about letting the students out of his sight for the holidays.' Harry attempted reason, but somehow predicted it would not go down well.

'That's exactly why she shouldn't go there. Or at least let us come with her.' Ron shook his head. 'Look I know I'm being a jerk but really she isn't very safe wandering about in an area filled with muggles and muggle-born.'

'She's probably the only muggle-born witch there.'

Ron shook his head. 'Not the point.'

A/N Hi.. Did you like it? Well review and tell.. Plez... Gives me more inspiration.. Love you lot!


	3. Dear readers

Dear readers,

I wanted to make sure you all knew how much I love and appreciate you and that every review and every number that increases upon someone reading my story makes my day. Thank you for all the amazing support, ideas, and warmth that you've brought.

Lately, as you may or may not have noticed, I have not been updating any stories despite my promises and I apologize. My life has taken some un-expected turns which have craved my attention more than the writing, sadly, but I am working hard to resolve all this and hopefully, at the latest, I will be able to not only start updating regularly but also wrap up several storylines during the spring.

I hope you will all remain with me through this process and keep reading and reviewing (or just feel free to e mail or write a review notice about whatever, I answer all those I can and find a return address to).

Thank you again for your support, you are all amazing,

All my love & be safe out there,

Darkflames/Petra


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